Campbell, Butler shine in Florida

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Jamaicans Nico Campbell of Florida southern College won five medals while Bryce Butler from Florida Institute of Technology swam several personal bests at the 2017 Sunshine State Conference Championships in Orlando, Florida, from February 16 to 19.

In the 200-yard freestyle, Campbell won silver with a new personal best of 1:38.24. The final saw him shaving off .01 of a second to record a time of 1:38.23 to finish just behind winner Franco Lupoli of Nova Southeastern University 1:37.91.

He would defeat Lupoli in the 800-yard freestyle relay; both men would lead off their respective 'A' teams. Campbell's teammates, Noah Franz 1:38.56, Matthew Holmes 1:37.25, and Luka Planic 1:38.65 contributed to a silver-medal winning effort of 6:33.55.

The 200- yard freestyle relay team of Diego Gimenez 20.44, Marco Palacios 19.94, Franz 20.10, and Campbell 20.09 helped the Moccasins to the silver medal in a time of 1:20.57.

There would be yet another silver medal in the 200-yard medley relay and a bronze in the 400-yard freestyle. In the 100- yard freestyle, the Exercise Science major lowered both his season best of 45.48 and personal record of 45.28 in the morning heats to 45.03 (split time 21.66). In the 50-yard freestyle, Campbell recorded a personal best of 20.72 in the heats. That bettered his season best of 20.84. It also beat his personal record of 20.81 that he registered when he placed 17th at the 2016 edition of the Conference Championships.

Butler, swimming exhibition only, recorded personal best times in the 50-yard freestyle 23.06, 100-yard butterfly 56.80, and 200-yard breaststroke 2:21.73.